


Where it all began

by McMasar79



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:23:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4820399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McMasar79/pseuds/McMasar79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the off-season and while on an art tour in Chicago Erin McLeod finds herself face to face with Ella Masar, a fellow soccer player with a coloured history with the sport.  Can she convince Ella to join her at Houston even if it isn't as a striker.  First she has to get Ella to talk to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

This was her third gallery showing during her off season but to Erin McLeod it was just as exciting as the first time some of her artwork was accepted into a show. 

“Excuse me?”

Erin turned with a smile and was met by an older woman standing there. “Hello.” 

“I’m sorry, but my daughter thought she recognised you,” The lady continued.

Erin glance behind the woman but the room was filled with guest for the opening night and she couldn’t see this as being the typical place for a NWSL fan to spot her. None of her tattoos were exposed and she was dressed smartly for the showing, but she was always more than happy to spend time with the fans.

“You play soccer don’t you?” The woman finished, giving Erin a questioning look as if she was unsure of the information.

“I do.” Erin replied easily, extending her hand to the other woman’s. “I’m Erin McLeod.”

The woman shook hands with Erin but tilted her head, looking slightly more confused now.

Erin noticed the woman’s eyes drift to the wall behind her and she felt herself blush in embarrassment. “I also paint.” Getting caught staring at your own work was not going to make the best impression on anyone. 

The woman laughed heartily, clearly amused and charmed with the woman in front of her. “Dear, if you can’t be proud of your own work no one can.” She advised.

Erin grinned and gave a little nod, appreciating the sentiment. She was proud of her work, and the fact that almost half of her picture already had the tags covered meaning that they had been sold to someone at the showing. 

“If I had a choice in the matter I’d give my paintings away, but my children wouldn’t hear of it, so here I am.” She went on then slipped her arm through Erin’s. “I’m Shelly, and if you don’t mind we can go find that daughter of mine, I think she’s still with her brother. I’m sure she’d like to say hello.”

“Okay.” Erin wasn’t bothered at all. She knew a few people in Chicago but hadn’t told anyone she was coming into the city for a couple of weeks. So there wasn’t anyone at the gallery to spend time with other than a few of the organisers. 

She’d be in town until the showing was over in two weeks and see if it brought her any commission work before she personally delivered the sold painting to their new owners. It was a nice touch she’d learned and one that sometimes brought her more work. 

After that she was headed back home to Vancouver for a month before her final showing happened in Toronto just before she was due back at Houston for pre-season training.

“There she is.” Shelly said as she spotted two of her children in a crowded room further into the gallery.

Erin tried to spot the fan and offer a smile but all she could see were well dressed individuals enjoying the free Champaign and looking around at the artwork in the room. There was also a staffer on hand in the room in case anyone wanted to purchase anything that caught their attention.

With her arm still clutched in the hands of the other artist Erin kept her grin in place as she found herself stood in front of a well-dressed couple. Shelly's daughter and son looked to be around her age Erin thought. Her eyes trailed quickly over the guy and lingered longer on the woman whom she thought she recognised.

“Ella sweetheart, you were right all along!” Shelly said before gesturing to Erin. “She does play soccer.”

Chuckling slightly, Erin extended her hand. “Erin McLeod, I play for the Houston Dash.”

“Tyson,” The male stepped forward first and introduced himself with a nod. “You play in goal for the Canadian national team as well.”

“Yes.” Erin then looked back at the woman and held her hand. “Hi, your mother found me in the next room and I thought I should come and say ‘hi’, not sure there’s many soccer fans around in here.”

“Ella-“

“Masar.” Erin cut in as she realised where she knew the woman in front of her from. She’d played in the WPS before it collapsed. Erin had been playing overseas but had opened talks with several teams about playing closer to home. Playing in Europe brought a much bigger pay cheque but being in an American woman’s league would have let her spend much more time with her family.

She’d returned after the first season of the new NWSL format that seemed to be doing well, although her expansion team the Houston Dash hadn’t had a great entrance into the league finishing bottom but Erin knew with a good college draft pick and a trade or two this next season would likely push them on. The set up in Houston was everything Erin could have hoped for after seeing how well structured the European teams could be. It was exciting to be part of the women’s movement in the States and with the World Cup and Olympics not far off she knew it’d help her chances with the national squad as well.

Erin saw Ella’s face tighten but she wasn’t really thinking as she kept shaking the woman’s hand. “You played for Magicjacks before…”

Ella sucked in a breath, physically reacting to the team name as she pulled her hand free. She glance briefly to her mother before turning. “I’m going to go find Ser.” 

Erin winced as she watched Ella walk away.

Tyson cleared his throat awkwardly as his sister disappeared into the crowd. “Yeah, probably not the best way to go.” He muttered before pressing a kiss to his mother’s cheek. “I’m going to go see if she’s okay.”

Erin scratched at the back of her head as she turned to Shelly. She had to force herself not to go after Ella herself and apologise. “Sorry, I never meant to upset her.” She explained quickly. “She looked familiar and my head worked it out then…I opened my mouth.”

Shelly put her hand gently on Erin arm and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t apologise, it was a hard time for her. Most people just remember that she stayed while other’s didn’t, and then told ‘stories’ about what went on. No one remembers her injury and that the club withheld treatment.” She said with a sigh.

Erin swallowed as a bit more of the details filtered through her brain. She hadn’t been near the fallout of the leagues collapse but she had national team members and some friends that were effected so she knew the rumours and where people wanted to lay the blame of failure. 

But she also knew a bit about Ella Masar, who in women’s soccer didn’t after she published her article on her experience at MJ, but before that she was already making waves as a college walk on who had made it into professional soccer. After graduating she’d been recruited by the French ladies PSG team, did well in the league and even got to the later stages of the women’s European Champion’s league.

She’d gotten a two year contract with the team and was a solid starter up front with a number of goals and assists to her name. But then her father had passed away suddenly and she’d found herself back home to be with her family. A year later the WPS and Magicjacks had come knocking and she’d carried on almost from where she’d left off with PSG. 

On the outside it had looked like she was on top of her game having scored some amazing goals and breaking through to earn several caps for her national team. But then the stories about the behind the scenes at the club started to surface, questions started being asked and when push came to shove not everyone had Ella’s back when she spoke up, the few that did found themselves with their own hard choices to make. 

The owner of team came out with his version of events, the denials and rebuttals from either side made for headlines that the WPS did their best to stem given how many national team players were at Magicjacks but by then it was too late. Within months the team was disbanded, and with it the league soon after having made substantial losses that ran into the multimillions.

It was not a good time for women’s soccer in the states.

Erin had seen tapes of Ella and the Magicjacks as she was thinking about signing on to the WPS but with its collapse she’d extended her stay in Germany before accepting the challenge of joining the Houston Dash on their inaugural start in the NWSL. And so far Erin was sure her decision had been the right one. She had several more years left in the sport and she'd be happy to spend them at the Dash. 

“She never try to go back?” Erin couldn’t help but ask. The WPS had gone but two years later the NWSL had been founded.

“She did, played in Europe again but she didn’t settle and came back home.” Shelly replied before taking Erin by the arm and guiding her over to look at some of the pictures gracing the walls of the room. “And then last year she was invited to try out here for the Chicago team and spent a week with them.”

“What happened?” Erin asked before she could stop herself. “If you don’t mind me asking.” She added knowing she’d already put her foot in it once in the last few minutes. No need for a repeat.

Shelly didn’t mind, she missed her daughter’s lightness. She wasn’t outwardly upset over it anymore, more than happy with her current job. But there was a spark missing. Her other children thought it was down to the loss of Terry, Ella’s father, but Shelly knew that wasn’t it.

Shelly stopped and looked at a painting of the sun over the ripping waves of the sea, there was a bit of shoreline along the bottom, but it was the reflection of the sun on the water that was the highlight of the painting.

“I called this The Light.” She explained to Erin.

Erin studied it for a long moment. The sun was framed just above centre and was almost blindingly white, set off with very dark waves that reflected the light from the sun. “It’s beautiful.”

Shelly smiled, she thought it was too. This was her only piece not for sale out of the collection she was showing with the gallery this time, all the rest could go to new homes but not this one. This was a keeper. 

“I just haven’t worked out if the sun is rising or setting over the horizon.” Shelly added as she too stared at the painting. Sometimes the picture filled her with sadness but at other’s it filled her with such hope when she looked at it that she couldn’t bear to part with it.

Erin chuckled and crossed her arms. “Well if the artist doesn’t know?”

“What do you think?” Shelly countered, curious of the other young woman’s thoughts.

Erin shrugged then looked at Shelly with a sheepish look. “I like sunsets.” She had many fond memories of being at this beach or that with her family, enjoying a cookout and chasing after her nieces or her dog.

Shelly smiled and stared at the picture for another few moments before picking up the previous comment about her daughter. “Ella was told that she couldn’t compete against the younger girls for her position but that they always needed more squad players.”

Erin tried not to cringe. If there was one thing an attacking player didn’t want to hear was that they’d be outpaced or out-skilled. But still, Erin knew from the tape she’d studied that Ella had the touch of a great striker, and you didn’t always need pace for that.

Ella Masar would be a fantastic addition to the Dash squad.

“Would she still be willing to try out?” Erin asked softly. She didn’t want to open fresh wounds but if Ella was half the player she was a couple of years ago then she could still do a job.

Shelly smiled sadly. “I think she’s given up on that. She’s a personal trainer these days but she hasn’t completely given up on soccer, she coaches an under 15 girls team. Their doing well this season.”

“That’s good.” Erin knew if Ella was a personal trainer there was no way she’d be completely out of shape, that wouldn’t be good advertising. 

She was glad to hear that Ella had work because the NWSL didn’t pay much at all, not unless you were a national team player. But when was money the only factor? Soccer was in the blood, it was a passion, one she was hoping Ella still had. Erin couldn’t believe she was even considering this but the Dash were holding open try-outs during pre-season and if she could get Ella there...

Erin bit her lip before chancing her luck. She didn’t really believe in coincidences, all through her life and her soccer career her parents had always told her, through the good times and the bad, that she was exactly where she needed to be at that time in her life.

Like the struggle with her injures, she’d also struggled with her sexuality and being a young kid in a national team going to Olympics and World Cups she’d dealt a lot with homophobia. She’d almost walked away once because of it, but she was thankful to her family for helping her cope with it, probably one of the reasons she taken to her art so much while she'd been abroad playing.

She felt herself grin as she rocked on her toes. “You wouldn’t happen to know if her team could use a goal keeping coach?”

Shelly looked at the young women beside her and thought of all the things her own daughter had wished for as a child. Everybody deserved second and third chances sometimes. She laughed picturing Ella trying to refuse the polite woman in front of her. “I don’t think they can pay you, Ella certainly is always trying to organise fundraisers for them.”

Erin shrugged. Her offer had absolutely nothing to do with money.

“She’ll probably say no.”

“I can be persistent.” Erin replied with a cheeky grin.

Shelly laughed again and held onto Erin’s arm. “I think you’ll need it, Ella can be very stubborn. I wish you luck.”

“I’ll take that as a challenge.”

Taking her arm again Shelly led them back towards the room she had first found Erin in. “Now, show me your work. We can discuss my daughter as we go.”

Erin looked around but she couldn’t see Ella or her brother. But maybe that was a good thing. If she could get a few helping hints from Shelly she might be able to make up for upsetting Ella in the first place.

“Okay, let’s go, but only if you give a proper critique, no holding back.” She told the older woman. 

Once Ella understood she wasn’t the enemy then she’d try and work out how to get her to Houston in a couple of months.


	2. Chapter 2

Erin watched as parents started to gather their children from the field and head back towards the parking lot. The city park they had been playing on during the training session was a little overgrown but after a half hour of sprinting back and forth between the goals the pitch had clearly flattened out.

It still made Erin wince a little thinking about having to play on it. When Shelly had given her the location Erin had thought she’d end up at a private training complex but Ella was using a local park with goal posts but no nets. Besides Ella and what looked like two male coaches, she saw parents standing behind the goals to retrieve wayward shots. 

But they were kids and everyone needed a place to start and from Erin’s view that was exactly what Ella Masar was giving them. The kids had worked on passing and dribbling skills before Ella had broken them into two groups of seven and then let them play across a quarter of the full sized pitch, subbing the other few kids in and out as the game progressed.

That was a good way to coach the kids into understanding that sometimes you had to come out of a game and let someone else on in your place.

Of course in a real game you couldn’t then go back onto the field again but Erin was willing to let that slide. 

The kids seemed to do well and she had heard Ella’s laughter ring out as she gathered them all around her at the end of the training session. The girls had all worked hard but the left the field happy and Erin was impressed by that alone. She’d witnessed parents and coaches shouting down kids during games and training sessions when they made mistakes but tonight Erin hadn’t seen anything close to that.

Ella was a really good coach, patient and encouraging rather than direct and authoritative with the kids. And in turn the girls clearly respected Ella and wanted to do well for her, more than one girl had hugged the woman as they left at the end.

Erin sighed and tucked her hands into her jacket as she watched until only Ella was left on the pitch, most of the gear, bibs, cones and balls had been packed away and taken by the two other coaches. There were still a couple of soccer balls out on the field and Ella was currently keeping one bouncing between both her feet.

Slowly Erin made her way over and stopped a few feet away from Ella’s back. 

“Hey.” She said softly still unsure of what kind of reception she was going to get from the other woman. When she’d called Shelly earlier today to ask about speaking to Ella the older woman had let her know Ella would be here and then laughed as she wished her luck.

Ella let the ball fall to the ground and turned slowly. Erin McLeod stood in front of her looking exceptionally nervous. She gave her a half smile. “Hi,” Then she glanced around wondering suddenly how Erin had any idea how to find her. “How did you-“

Erin blushed. “Um, I ah, wanted a chance to apologise for what happened at the showing. I spoke to your mother and asked where I could find you, she said you’d be here tonight.” She explained quickly.

Ella blinked, she’d be having a word with her mother later. But first she’d have to deal with this, in a way she was happy to see Erin again, but her mother didn’t need to know that right away.

“You’ve nothing to apologise for.” She told Erin. It was true, she’d been upset with herself over her reaction but that hadn’t been Erin’s fault. 

“I do.” Erin quickly refuted as Ella shook her head. She tapped her head. “I was just connecting the dots and spoke without thinking. I am sorry that I made you uncomfortable.” And from what Erin could tell it had chased Ella from the gallery as she hadn’t seen her at any point during the rest of the night.

She’d apologised to Shelly about that too.

Ella scowled a little and glanced away. 

“I didn’t mean anything by it, I know that whole time pretty much had to suck, and I’m sorry no one had your back.” Erin went on quickly. 

Ella tried to ignore the compassion in Erin’s voice, not fully understanding why a soccer player who hadn’t even been part of the WPS league would feel bad for her. She shook her head. “That’s all in the past.” But even as she said it, it felt like a lie because it was part of the reason she’d walked away from the sport. Players that she’d considered friends had come out and denied knowing anything about her claims, stating they hadn’t experienced anything wrong or unprofessional during their playing time at MagicJack.

Which had been a lie because all of the girls had gotten together several times before trying to make a stand when the line was crossed yet again.

As much as Ella wanted to leave that in the past it still hurt. She’d tried to stand up for herself and especially the younger girls at the team. She’d been trying to do what was right.

She hadn’t just lost friends she’d lost any chance of being called up again to play for her national team. 

Erin sighed and glanced down, her feet automatically flicking one of the soccer balls closer and she started to juggle it with her feet.

Ella watched on, slightly amused by the vision of the goal keeper working on her foot control.

“I thought keepers just needed good hands?” She said.

Erin chuckled and bounced the ball off of her foot and caught it under her arm to brace it at her hip as she eyed Ella. “Oh, I’m very good with my hands.” She assured Ella.

Snorting Ella bit her lip.

“What?” Erin asked with a grin. “You don’t believe me?”

Ella giggled as she felt her cheeks flush. Luckily the light was fading enough to hide it from the other woman. “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

Erin sniffed then straightened her posture. “Warranted, given my status as the number one goal keeper in the whole of Canada.” She replied with just the hint of a smirk.

“Yeah, but, you know, Canada.” Ella answered back as she made a face.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, just, I mean, I guess they have lower standards.” Ella replied as she grinned and went over to pick up another soccer ball and rolled it back and forth with her foot. 

Erin scowled at Ella. “That was mean.”

Ella chuckled. “Okay, maybe it was.”

Erin nodded and squared her shoulders. “Tell you what, now that I feel I have to defend not only myself but my entire country, let’s see how well you can do against me.” She challenged the shorter woman.

Ella bit her lip and did her best not to laugh as Erin continued to scowl at her. She thought it was adorable. Goal keepers and bruised egos. Not a great combination Ella remembered.

“Just you and me, what do you say?” Erin went on now fully invested in proving her worth to her country and her team. It may be the off season but she was still in the best shape of her life if maybe lacking a little game sharpness. “Loser buys me coffee.” She exaggerated a cough as Ella gave her a pointed look. “I mean, buys the other coffee.” She finished with a wide grin.

Ella wasn’t sure if Erin was being cocky or just incredibly cute. Either way she was up for the challenge. “Ooooh, you’re on.” The temperature was dropping and Ella could really do with a caffeine hit. She stared down at the soccer balls she had then back up to Erin before proposing, “Best of four.”

Erin sniffed then jumped up and down and acted out a few overstated stretches that looked ridiculous given her clothing.

But it had Ella laughing so Erin tried not to smirk too much as she jogged over to stand in the middle of the goal. It was only now that she remembered the lack of netting. “Loser also has to round up stray hits.” She told Ella.

Ella shrugged and started moving the soccer balls closer to the penalty spot. “If you want the extra work out that’s fine by me.” She told Erin with a grin.

Snorting Erin pulled her jacket off and set it on the grass to the outside of the goal post. 

“1-0” Ella called out before bursting into laughter.

Erin turned her head and noticed a soccer ball was rolling about ten feet past the centre of the goal posts. She levelled Ella with a look and got back into position. “Best of three, we’ll call that your warm up shot.”

Ella giggled and rolled another ball onto the spot. “Ready?” She asked before taking a few steps back and waiting.

Erin crouched a little. She had no idea where Ella was going to place her shots having never seen her take PKs before but she was going to do her best. “Go for it.” She replied then narrowed her eyes on Ella as her body started for the ball, she didn’t make eye contact but from Ella’s body language Erin guessed she’d shoot to her left so as Ella’s foot connected with the ball Erin did her best to dive to her right as far as she could.

Ella watched the ball sail through the posts as Erin dove the wrong way. “Goal!” She yell and raised her hands up in the air to celebrate.

Getting up and dusting herself off Erin repositioned herself back in place. She’d thought Ella had been trying to fake her out but she hadn’t. This time she was going to go with where it looked Ella was aiming the ball.

Ella spotted another ball and took a few steps back. She made a tweet sound to let Erin know she was going to strike the ball, this time she aimed for the side Erin had already dived but her eyes widened as the goal keeper pounced on the ball before it past the goal line.

The keeper grinned at her as she got back to her feet.

“You got lucky, 1-1.” Ella told her as she got the final ball ready.

Erin shook her head as she figured out that Ella wasn’t trying to disguise her shots at all, she supposed if the ball were hit right to the inside of the post she’d have no chance to stop it even with the reach she had. That last ball was easily a foot inside the frame and well within Erin’s zone.

Now she took another few jumps and tapped the crossbar for good luck, she was doing this without any protection on her hands so as much as she wanted the win she was also being as careful as possible. The last thing she needed was a broken hand or finger.

Ella tweeted again then took her shot aiming for the far corner and grinned as she saw it going for the inside of the post but just as she was about to yell in triumph she watched Erin get the slightest of touches to it and send it around the post instead. “Damn.” She muttered under her voice as Erin leapt to her feet and started dancing about and shouting in victory.

She rolled her eyes but had to smile because she was impressed by the keeper. She hadn’t even tried to go easy on the other woman.

Erin slowed down her celebrations and gestured towards the balls on the ground. “I think you have some collecting to do.”

With a sigh Ella rolled her eyes then rounded up the soccer balls.

“And you owe me coffee.” Erin added as she pulled her jacket back on over her top.

“Catch.” Ella called over as she punted a ball into the air. She watched Erin catch it easily then hurried over with the other three ball, two in her hands and the other dribbled at her feet. “You mind helping me to my car with that?” She asked before adding a wide smile.

“Well I suppose, seeing as I can use the time to rub in just how magnificent my goal keeping skills are.” Erin joked as she followed Ella over the pitch towards one of the entrances to the park.

Ella snorted. “You got lucky.” She said then danced away with the ball still at her feet.

Erin giggled then tossed the ball she was holding straight towards Ella’s head.

It bounced off after a direct hit.

Ella stopped then turned to glare at Erin who was doing her best to look innocent. “I see you.”

Erin just kept smiling as she picked up the ball. She was enjoying messing with Ella. She watched as Ella eyed her for a long moment before turning back around. Erin held back a laugh as she aimed for Ella’s head again and watched the ball bounce off.

Ella spun around after the hit to see Erin double over as she laughed. She shook her head then softly struck the ball at her feet and hit Erin at the hip she then did the same with the other two balls she had in her possession, each one hitting the keeper softly but Erin just continued to laugh, collapsing to the ground by the third hit.

Slowly Ella walked over then put her hands on her hips as Erin stayed down giggling. “Get up.” She ordered as she put her hand out to help the older woman up. “Or I’m going to have you stand in goal for my team as target practice before their next game on Wednesday.” She warned.

Erin let Ella help her up, enjoying the sensation of the striker’s warm hand. “Well if they learn how to shoot from you it’ll be no problem.” She answered back and winked at the blonde.

Ella huffed good naturedly, surprised that throughout her time with the other woman she wasn’t feeling defensive at all. Usually when she was around women still in the game she always felt judged for her past but not with Erin. “You’re going to regret that.” She told the Canadian who just shrugged at her.

Erin picked up two of the soccer ball and left the last two for Ella. “Hurry it up or I’m going to think you just want out of paying for my coffee.”

Ella shook her head as Erin held one ball and tried dribbling with the other. She waited for the keeper to get far enough down the field before she laughed at her and called out, “You’re going the wrong way.”

Erin stopped and looked around before heading back towards Ella. “I knew that.” She said although her blush indicated otherwise. “I was just letting you see how it’s done.”

“Sure.” Ella replied not believing her for a second.

Caught Erin just rolled her eyes and they both made their way out of the park and to what she guess was Ella’s car.

They loaded the soccer balls into the boot of the car and as Erin took the passenger seat Ella switched her cleats for a pair of trainers and got in.

“I’ll drop you back when we’re done.” Ella promised having already decided that taking one car would be better and give the pair a chance to talk without having Erin try and follow behind her in her own car. Chicago traffic wasn’t the worst but it was just easier this way. Ella didn’t need to be accused of purposefully losing Erin in traffic just to get out of paying for coffee.

Besides, she was starting to enjoy spending time with Erin.

Erin hummed at the comment not bothered at all. “It’s a rental.” She added before grinning and turning to Ella who was concentrating on her driving. “Besides, as the winner I should be chauffeured around so this is nice.”

Ella tried not to smile too much as she took a turn and drove a few more blocks to her favourite coffee house. She could tell by Erin’s tone that she was clearly joking but normally Ella’s competitive nature would have had her sulking and taking Erin’s comments the wrong way but she wasn’t. 

Erin was pleased with how things were going with Ella, she even thought she might be growing on the other woman. She didn’t plan to talk about Ella getting back into professional soccer she’d leave that until she knew Ella more.

“Careful there or you’ll be saving PKs with your head next it’ll be that big.” Ella grumbled.

Erin just chuckled not rising to the bait.

She was happy with how things were going with the blonde. She was also wondering why they were still driving given they had already driven past several coffee places.

She thought about mentioning it before deciding not to. Ella was either taking her somewhere she liked herself or Erin was never going to be heard from again. Her parents would just hear about her rental car being found abandoned at a city park. Erin hoped it was the first but if it was the second, well, Ella being the last face she ever saw. That didn’t sound so bad. She’d miss Max terribly but what a way to go.

Ella heard the faint chuckling coming from Erin and glanced at her.

She shook her head and vowed not to ask.

It was either a goal keeper thing or it was a Canadian thing. Either way she’d let Erin have her little moment. She’d just store this away to bring out when she had enough evidence of just how weird Erin was.

She couldn't help but smile to herself and wonder what other strange quirks she’d get to witness tonight. She already wanted to spend more time with the other woman which wasn’t like her but she was going to work her way into asking Erin to come back for her team’s game midweek.

Maybe convince her to give her kids some pointers. Ella knew they all enjoyed soccer but to have a national team player come and train with them it would hopefully inspire some of them to follow their own dreams into professional leagues after they were done with school.

In the back of Ella’s mind she remembered her own dreams for her career. If things had been different…

She pushed those thoughts away because the past wasn’t going to change and besides, despite the way it ended Ella didn’t regret taking that stand.

And as she pulled up outside her usual coffee place she realised that right now wasn’t such a bad place to be either.

Erin waited for Ella to lock her car up then walked beside her towards the café. “You mind if we eat too, I’m kinda hungry.” 

Ella shrugged not at all opposed to spending more time with Erin. She only just managed not to blush when Erin held the door open for her, covering it by rubbing at her nose. “Nah, besides those goal celebrations are hard work.”

Erin scowled. “You only scored the one.” She reminded the blonde.

Ella chuckled. “Actually I scored twice which made it a draw, but seeing as you're new to Chicago I’ll buy tonight.” She said wondering if Erin caught the implication that another night would be Erin’s turn to pick up the tab.

By her beaming smile Ella guessed she did and this time she couldn’t stop the blush that covered her cheeks.

“I’ll go grab us a table.” Erin said as she squeezed Ella’s arm then gave her some space to compose herself. As she walked away from the blonde she felt eyes on her and as she took a seat at one of the few empty tables she noticed Ella still stood there watching her.

She smiled back at the striker as she took her jacket off.

Ella shook her head at herself and made her way to the counter. “Wow.” She muttered wondering when she’d lost her cool so easily before.

Ella had watched the 2012 Olympics and her heart had gone out to Erin over such a stupid refereeing decision and she also kept up with the NWSL games because she still had friends that played. But mostly she still loved the game of soccer and watched every La Liga and EPL game that she could.

So while Ella completely respected Erin as a professional player who was a solid keeper for her club and country, she was also starting to realise that she liked Erin as a person beyond soccer.

Maybe she’d keep soccer off-topic tonight and just spend her time learning more about Erin the artist.

She chanced another glance over and was met by Erin watching her, this time she didn’t look away until her coffee order was ready for her, and even then she turned away just long enough to pay and retrieve the drinks.

“I hope you don’t mind, I guessed at what you might like.” She said as she placed Erin’s coffee down and sat herself.

Erin did her best not to smirk at that comment.

After taking her own jacket off and hanging it on the spare chair next to Erin’s Ella took a deep drink of her coffee with a satisfied sigh. It was only when she lifted her head again that she found herself looking into warm brown eyes. But this time there was no blushing. “I know I agreed to ordering some food but do you mind if we got coffee here and went somewhere else to eat?” Ella asking trying to keep her voice low, she loved this place to death but one thing they did not serve was real food.

Erin shook her head not bothered at all. “I played here a couple of times this past season but I never really got a chance to leave the hotel, so other than that it was airport food which wasn’t too bad.”

Ella winced having heard a few horror stories of where teams stayed during away games, while the league was doing okay it had almost no budget for decent hotels. Sadly given their clothes tonight, more hers than Erin’s, a good restaurant was out of the question.

“Okay I’m sure I can do better than that but no laughing if we end up at a food truck down town.” Ella warned.

Erin chuckled at the prospect but in reality she’d had some great food out of a street cart before so she wasn’t too worried. “I’ll keep that in mind. But I can’t promise not to hold it against you if we ever eat out together again.”

Ella smiled back at Erin and settled into her seat more. “Fair enough.” She replied more than happy with the idea of spending time with the other woman beyond tonight. “Now, tell me how you got into art, I know a lot of the girls work real jobs in the off season but I’m pretty sure artist isn’t a common one.”

“It’s something I’ve always had a passion for besides soccer, even as a little kid.” Erin started.

Ella paid attention to the words as Erin spoke about being a young kid and having to move when her father was relocated for his work, and about how hard Erin had struggled with making new friends at school or the time when English was the second langue used in her school.

But more than the words Ella watched as memories lit up Erin’s eyes and made her smile brighten. Ella found herself wanting to see more of that expression and did her best to keep the conversation on happier things. When Erin asked her questions she centred them on the kids she coached, her mother’s art and her nieces. 

It was surprisingly easy to talk with Erin and as they sat there chatting Ella got used to the occasional touches to her hand Erin made while she talk. And when they lingered Ella found her hand turning palm up instead of pulling away.

Whatever it was about Erin Mcleod that had her interest it didn’t seem to bother Ella. And when the talking died down to a comfortable silence neither of them mentioned when their hands stayed clasped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the heads up on Ella's mom!


	3. Chapter 3

Ella let herself back into her house after an early start with two of her clients who both preferred to have a workout before they went to work. The first guy was planning to run his first marathon in two months and she was helping him work on his endurance. He was almost there, another session next week and she figured he’d get through the run fine as long as he kept to pace. Her second client was just looking for a switch from his doing his usual gym sessions, it was her third session with him and she was making his exercises up by using his local area. She didn’t think he’d last through the end of the month before he was back indoors out of the cold weather.

She had to admit she was enjoying his complaints even as she saw improvements in his core movements and his times. She got the impression he didn’t change up his gym routine much so didn’t see vast changes in his muscle mass or definition. 

Gym rats.

She’d spent several years doing that before concern for her own health had forced her to take specialist advice during a slow recovery from a double hernia operation. She hadn’t wanted to take her surgeon’s advice to take a few weeks of rest before getting back into her normal routine. She might not have been a professional athlete any more but her overall fitness was still part of her career. So she’d spent the money at a top sports rehabilitation centre in Vancouver that a college friend had recommended for her and it had paid off.

The team that looked after her set her on a six week rehab course she did on site with them and another six weeks back at home in Chicago. They’d stripped everything down back to the basics of functional muscle movements and built from there to work on her speed, agility and conditioning. It had been a shock to her, to realise that at twenty-seven her own training skills hadn’t been efficient in improving her own talents but slowly and with just a few adjustments and she was now fitter, stronger and quicker than she ever had been when she was playing professional soccer.

Her movements were more controlled and she had better power through her runs and speed skills that she still practised. Despite what she said to Erin, she still trained with a soccer ball at her feet every day. She might have retired but she’d always be a soccer player, even if it was just with her friends once in a while. 

“Mom? You home?” She called out as she dropped her kit bag near the stairs and wandered towards the kitchen. It was almost ten in the morning now and she was hungry as her work day had started several hours ago. “Mom?” She called out again as she reached the kitchen and filled the kettle with fresh water.

“In here darling!” 

Ella grabbed an apple and took a bite into it as she stripped out of her zip up leaving her in just a tee. “You hungry? I’m going to make breakfast.” She called back as she started pulling out the fixings for pancakes and some fresh fruit to cut up into a bowl.  
She’d moved back in with her mom when she’d came home to Chicago, she hadn’t seen the point of living on her own when she could stay with her family. Besides, she was very very single. Moving out to be with a partner, that she’d welcome, but to move out just to be on her own didn’t sound appealing to her when her family meant as much to her as it did. And being in an apartment on her own would just give her more time alone with her thoughts. She’d end up over training again and she was old enough to realise that wasn’t a good coping mechanism.

Besides, when her sisters were over on the weekends it felt like a proper home. One she’d wished for when she was growing up, a house filled with smiles and laughter. She enjoyed her job but watching her mother’s success now after having overcome so much, and seeing her two nieces and nephew growing up, that gave her so much to be thankful for. Both her sisters were married now and even her brother had gotten down on one knee and married his long term girlfriend who was now pregnant with their first child.

She was happy for her siblings and couldn’t wait to meet the newest addition to the Masar family when he or she arrived. Megan, Tyson’s wife, was due in the next few weeks. Everyone was starting to get excited, although Megan slightly less so given she was more than ready for the arrival as it was. 

“Mom?” Ella called again still not having gotten an answer on if she was cooking for herself or not. She rolled her eyes and started making the pancakes anyway. If her mother wasn’t interested all the more for her. She was halfway through the mix when a crash sounded from the back room where her mother was, Ella quickly turned off the stove and set the pan to one side as she hurried to check on her mom.

“Are you okay?” Ella asked as she came to the doorway and looked in. She was surprised to see not only her mother but Erin McLeod in the room as well. “Oh. Hi.”

Erin looked sheepishly to the floor and tried to right the heavy wooden table she’d managed to upend. “Sorry, it’s not as easy as it looked.” Fortunately it hadn’t damaged anything in the room or her feet on the way to the floor. Which was lucky given how much fun explaining that to her club and national team coaches would have been.

Shelly just smiled at her daughter and stood back to watch.

After the shock had worn off Ella quickly moved to help Erin with the table. “Here, let me.” She grabbed hold of one end and as Erin got the other, a blush still colouring the keeper’s cheeks. “What are we doing exactly?” Ella asked once they had set the piece of furniture back on its legs.

Erin glanced over to Shelly.

“Oh, Ella dear, Erin is staying in town for a few weeks and she was looking for a place to work!” Shelly explained.

Ella knew exactly what was coming next and stared at Erin as the taller woman gazed back at her awkwardly.

“So I said she could work here!” Shelly continued. “It’ll be wonderful having another artist about the place.” She said with an excited clap of her hands.

The room in question was originally the den but it had quickly turned into her mother’s art studio, unfortunately Shelly wasn’t the most organized when it came to her work space so there was a few adjustments required before Erin could have a section of it to call her own.

Ella smirked and shook her head. Erin had obviously made an impression on her mother because Shelly knew a lot of up and coming artists in the Chicago community but she had never brought any of them into her their home before. Yet here was Erin McLeod. “Okay, so where do you want this?” She asked Erin first before following the Canadian’s eyes to her mother.

“Over there, and then if we just take this,” Shelly directed them with a wave of the arm and as Ella and Erin moved the table to one corner of the room, she started moving some of the blank canvases she had stored nearby. “Oh, Ella grab those too please, and that.”

Ella rolled her eyes but once she and Erin had the table moved into position she went about picking up everything her mother mentioned and moved them out of the way. With Erin’s help it only took a few minutes for a space to be cleared.

“There.” Shelly said as she stood back to admire the change in the room. “Now that we’re finished the hard work, Erin dear why don’t you join us for breakfast?” She asked before turning and leaving the room.

Ella just chuckled at her mother and tried wiping some paint from her hands.

“Um, I called your mother-“ Erin started to explain not wanting Ella to think this was planned. She hadn’t known Ella was going to be here when she’d agreed to come over.

“It’s fine, really Erin.” Ella said quickly. 

Erin stepped closer and put her hand on Ella’s arm. “I asked her if she knew of any studio space I could use, I didn’t know she meant her home. Your home.” Erin took a breath and waited anxiously for Ella to say something. 

It was her home, but just because there was an undercurrent of something going on between them didn’t mean she was going to prevent the woman from taking her mother up on her offer. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to see more of the keeper and now she didn’t even have to call and make some lame excuse.

“Really Erin it’s fine, are you still coming tonight?” Ella asked wanting to drop any talk of Erin declining to use her mother’s studio.

Erin closed her mouth and shifted on her feet. “Yeah, if that’s okay. I was going to call you later and get directions actually.”

Ella smirked. “Well now you won’t have to, you can just meet me here and you can come with me.” 

Erin smiled at Ella. “If that’s okay with you then sure.”

Ella snorted and started out of the room. The constant politeness had to be a Canadian thing but she’s work on it with Erin. “My mom’s probably going to come tonight as well.” She said as Erin followed her. “So if you get too bored you can talk artistic endeavours with her.” 

Erin chuckled not seeing how she could get bored at a soccer game even if it was a group of young teenagers. She’d be cheering on from the crowd with the best of them. She just had to make note of which team was Ella’s first otherwise it could get awkward for everyone on the ride back. “I think I’ll be okay.”

Ella was sure she would be but as coach she’d be pretty busy on the sideline and she didn’t want Erin to think she didn’t appreciate her coming along to watch her kids play. She hadn’t talked it up to the keeper but tonight was the regional semi-final and her group of girls had never made it this far before so it was a pretty big deal.

She also hadn’t mentioned that chances were the rest of her family were going to be there tonight to watch as well. She’d save that little surprise for later.

Ella saw that her mother had resumed cooking pancakes and had another pan with bacon frying away. She was also smirking at her from the stove.

Ella cleared her throat as she stood beside Erin. “I’m going to go clean up.” She informed them as she indicated the drying paint flecks on her hands.

“Of course dear.” Shelly said as she flipped another pancake out onto a plate. “Erin can help, can’t you love?” She asked with a smile to the other woman.

“Sure.” Erin replied as her eyes snapped back from watching Ella leave the room and head up the staircase. “What do you need me to do?”

“Could you pull some eggs out of the fridge, I feel like scrambled eggs would go well with this.” She told her fellow artist who quickly did as she was asked. Shelly was impressed as the Canadian took out milk and then went about find a bowl and saucepan to use. 

Eyeing the staircase for her daughter Shelly was gratefully to have a few more minutes alone with the young woman beside her. “So you never answered my question? Are you single dear?”

Flushing Erin tried her best to concentrate on pouring the beaten egg and milk mixture into the pan she’d just place at a low heat on the stove. “I am.” She finally answered, thankful there wasn’t a heavy table in her hands this time.

Shelly nodded having suspected as much. No one looked at another person the way she had seen Erin eye her daughter that night at the gallery if they had someone in their life already. At least she would hope not but that was why she was checking.

Her youngest daughter had already been through too much already.

She smirked at Erin for a moment. “Well that’s good to hear, and if you were wondering Ella is single as well.” 

Erin blinked as she felt her face burn in embarrassment. She hadn’t thought she’d been that obvious about her attraction to Ella, she hoped she wasn't coming across too strong either but she was saved from trying to explain as Ella returned with a fresh t-shirt on and her hair freed from the bun it had been in.

Ella sat down at the breakfast bar on the other side of the stove and eyed the flustered looking keeper who was diligently staring down at the pan she was looking after. So Ella looked at her smirking mother and lifted an eyebrow in question.

Shelly just smiled then lifted the bowl of fruit over to her daughter then added a knife that was lying nearby. “Don’t just sit there dear, make yourself useful.”

Ella caught Erin trying not to laugh. She shook her head at the keeper then rolled her eyes and did as she was told.

A few minutes later they were all seated around the dining table tucking in.

“So how are things going at the gallery with your art?” Ella asked eyeing both women around her but mostly Erin as her mother tended to down play the sale of her own work.

“Good, I mean you tend to sell most of your pieces on opening night, because the gallery invite people they know will like the style of the show.” Erin explained trying not to get down to specifics of her work. She didn’t like talking about the price she put on her artwork, but given the time and effort that went into creating her pieces she thought her asking prices were always very reasonable.

“She’s being modest Ella dear, she’s sold most of her works on display which is why she was looking for somewhere to work for the next few weeks.” Shelly informed her daughter. “Or she’ll have nothing for her next showing.”

Ella grinned at Erin pleased to hear she was doing well. “Congratulations. That’s awesome!”

“Thank you.” Erin replied trying to fight down another blush. “I uh, asked your mother if she wanted to show some of her paintings with me in Toronto.” She added in part to shift the focus away from herself but also hoping that Ella would help her convince Shelly to agree. 

“Yeah?” Ella said in surprise before looking at her mother. “What do you think about that?”

Shelly shrugged. “I would have to look for a few pieces to send up there. Maybe do a new piece or two.”

Erin grinned as it sounded like Shelly was willing to take part. The gallery in Toronto was smaller than this one but it had a great reputation and Erin had successful showings there before and knew the staff and owner quite well.

“You could go up for the opening.” Ella told her mother. It had taken a while to get her to agree to show and sell her work but her mother had never did a gallery show outside of Chicago. She’d have to talk to her sisters and get them to help convince her to go. And she’d have to thank Erin for suggesting it in the first place. She knew that accepting artists into a show normally took time to match artwork with the theme of the show on display so for Erin to offer a place for her mother’s work then she was doing something else behind the scenes to get that to happen.

“Oh, no I couldn’t,” Shelly quickly disagreed with a shake of her head. “I have my work here and my classes, we’re off to a yoga convention in San Diego that week and you know I go every year. I couldn’t possibly cancel at this late stage.”

Ella sighed a little disheartened by that news, she’d forgotten about her mother’s yoga trips. 

“I know, why don’t you go for me?” Shelly said as she grinned at Ella and Erin thinking it was the perfect solution. 

“Um…” Ella blinked and stared at her mother. She couldn’t just drop her clients and disappear for a few weeks. Could she? Her eyes tracked to Erin and she shrugged at the keeper. It wasn’t impossible for her to make the trip up there. And she’d never been to Toronto before so there was that.

Not to mention getting to spend more time with Erin. But that had nothing to do with it.

“I guess I could go.” She found herself saying as she continued to watch Erin stare back at her. “If you don’t mind me tagging along.”

Erin did her best not to smirk. She definitely did not mind Ella ‘tagging along’. She shook her head at the former soccer player. “Not at all.”

Shelly watched the pair stare at each other before deciding that she would leave them alone for a while. “Wonderful. Now that we have that settled I’ll leave you both to clean up, I’m going to head over to the art store and pick up some more supplies.” And with that she wiped her hands off on a napkin and headed towards her room.

Ella chuckled at the way her morning was going so far as she waited for her mother to emerge ready to go. When Shelly did return and pulled her heavy coat on she told then goodbye before leaving as Ella waved her off.

“So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Ella asked as she looked back to Erin who was currently finishing off her own breakfast.

Erin swallowed then pointed back towards the studio. “Your mom said I could get started on setting up if that’s okay?”

Ella nodded, she didn’t have another client for a few hours so maybe she’d stick around and help if she was needed.

“First we do dishes. As the guest I’ll let you choose to wash or dry?” Ella said as she stood and started gathering the dirty plates.

“Here let me.” Erin quickly gathered as much as she could and headed back into the kitchen where she piled her load at the sink before going back and taking the last few items from Ella’s hands.

“O-kay.” Ella said slowly as she watched Erin open the cupboard beneath the sink and pull out the basin and washing up liquid. The keeper was in such a groove as she started filling the basin with hot water and then rinsing off the dishes that Ella almost left her to it. 

That was until a dishtowel was unceremoniously thrown her way.

“I’ll wash, that way I know they’ll get clean, and I guess you can dry. That shouldn't be too hard for you now should it?” Erin asked, sending Ella a look over her shoulder.

“Cute.” Ella muttered before stepping up to stand next to the keeper. 

This close together their shoulders touched as they traded plates and cutlery. They worked silently but it was nice, Ella could even smell the perfume Erin was wearing although it wasn’t anything she was too familiar with, it was more earthy than she expected.

But it smelled good on the keeper.

Ella bit her lip and started to notice how often their fingers brushed against each other’s as they worked. 

Maybe she should call her friend and get some advice sooner rather than later. Especially if she was going to be spending time with Erin in another city.

And if she was really lucky she could convince Emily to give her some insider information on the keeper. They did after all play on the Canadian women’s nation team together, so she was sure her friend had stories she could share.

Maybe even a few incriminating photos as well.

“What?” Erin asked as Ella chuckled beside her.

“Nothing.” Ella replied trying to look innocent.

Erin eyed her carefully before going back to washing the last few items. “You’ll keep Masar.” She warned.

It was probably meant as a threat but Ella knew she wasn’t the one that needed to be worried.

But Erin didn’t need to know that.


	4. Chapter 4

From the minute Erin saw the teams line-up against each other she knew Ella’s girls were going to have a hard time of it. Just by the size of the other girls she knew it would be a challenge for Ella’s team to keep up.

They might have been in the same age group but the opponents looked like they were well acquainted with a weight room. They just looked fitter and faster than Ella’s players and that was proven when a long punt from the goalkeeper sent an attacking breakaway that caught Ella’s girls off guard and with a quick sprint the forward was baring down on the box and with only the keeper to beat easily chipped the girl when she came rushing out to close the angle down.

“That was bad, right?” Ty whispered to Erin as he sat on one side of her with his wife Megan and Ella’s mother Shelly sat on her other side.

“Yeah.” Erin replied as she watch Ella quickly gather the girls around to try and boost them up from conceding so early on in the game as the other players celebrated their goal. Her heart went out to the keeper, Ashely, who wasn’t the tallest but even then there had been another player that would have had a tap in if the other girl had squared the ball to her.

The other team were clearly better and less than ten minutes after the restart a second goal was conceded and Erin saw a visible deflation in Ella’s girls. Like this had been expected. 

Erin watched closely as Ella spoke to all the girls again and felt bad. From the sidelines it was hard to fix the problem because what they needed to do was pressure the plays by the other team but that took a lot of intense teamwork and even then, chasing the ball all game never felt good.

But when the other players were running into space for fun and passing with quick confident movements of the ball it was hard to turn the game around.

“Come on, you got this! Let’s go!” Erin shouted out as the referee started the game going again. 

Tyson shared a look with his wife and grinned before cheering himself which caused a few more shouts aimed at Ella’s girls trying to let them know it was still worth continuing to fight, even from two goals down.

There was always a chance at a comeback.

xxxxx

Erin stayed seated in the bleachers as the crowd thinned out and parents collected their kids to head on home. It was a cold night and no one wanted to hang around too long.  Especially not the losing side.

Ella’s team had lost 3-1 in the end. They’d conceded two goals in the first twenty minutes and it had left them with just too much to do.  They got one back after half-time but as they pushed on for an equaliser towards the end of the game they had been caught on a counter attack and that was it.

“They did okay.” Tyson muttered beside her, both of them watching Ella hug a few of her girls before they went to their parents.

“Hmm.” The other team were better and deserved the victory if you looked at the game objectively.  But at this age Erin doubted that was any consolation to them.  It never had been for her.

Tyson patted his thigh then stood up and gestured to his Megan, sat on the other side of him. “We’re going to say goodbye to El then get going, it was nice seeing you again.” He said holding out his hand to shake Erin’s.

“You too.” Erin nodded and watched the pair head down and make their way over to Ella who still had a couple of kids and parents around her.

Shelly nudged her shoulder into the woman staring at her daughter. “She’ll be disappointed.  She might not say it but she was hoping they could win this game.”

Erin looked at the older woman for a moment. “Yeah.  Hard one to swallow but I’m sure Ella will have the kids bouncing back next game.”  She added with a smile.  Ella just had that sort of determination about her.

Shelly shook her head watching her son and daughter hug before Megan pulled Ella in for a hug then the pair left leaving Ella stood there waving the last of her kids off. “They’ll have a get together in a week to hand out the awards for the season, little things just to help keep them involved and striving for something, then they get back to school.” She shrugged.  “If Ella’s around she’ll see some of them when they come back in the Fall.” But that was a long way off and she did not know her daughter’s plans.

With a small sigh she got up to follow her son’s example, it was getting cold and there was no need to stick around any longer. “Let’s go get that child of mine and head home.”

Erin’s eyes widened slightly at the ‘home’ part but she got up and followed closely behind the older woman, tucking her gloved hands into her jacket.

When they got down to the side of the pitch Ella was talking with one of the other trainers and quickly held up a finger to let them both known she’d be with them soon.

Erin hung back a little still not sure she was completely welcome or how she’d managed to become part of the group. Her cell buzzed in her pocket and she took a further step back to check it.  It was a notification that her younger sister Cara had posted something to Instagram.  She grinned and clicked on it to see a picture of her dog Maxwell curled up in his doggy bed looking back at her with big sad eyes.

“Aww.” She muttered feeling a pang of guilt having only been home briefly to spend time with him after being at camp with the national team in Brazil from November to late December and then only getting two weeks back in Vancouver with him before she went to visit her older sister in Alberta and then had a quick visit to her folks before going back to Vancouver for a few days to arrange her art to be shipped and then she was packing for this trip. Cara and her boyfriend would take good care of him she was sure but it wasn’t the same.

Reading the caption just about broke her heart, ‘Missing his mom’. She sent a quick text to her sister instead of posting a comment on the picture.  Social media was still a little unnerving for her and she tried to limit it to when she was promoting team games or her artwork and she tried her best to steer clear of a lot of the messages she received.  She loved her fans she did, but sometimes with the internet people seemed to lose any need to filter themselves.  Erin was sure some of the things people said would never come out of their mouths had they been talking to her face to face.

When she looked up from her phone she saw Ella and Shelly talking. Ella caught her looking and gave her a smile before she continued talking with her mom.

Erin let them talk as her phone buzzed again and she saw a reply from her sister. She’d called her sister a brat in her text and Cara’s reply was ‘takes one to know one’ which had Erin shaking her head.

“Hey.” Ella said softly as she approached the Canadian currently staring down at the phone in her hand.

Erin looked up as she put her phone away. “Hey, sorry about the game.” She said to the blonde.

Ella shrugged and glanced around, the soccer park had pretty much cleared with only a few other people around all of which were headed to the carpark. “They’ll learn from it, had a good go in the second half though didn’t they?” She asked with a grin.

Erin snorted. “And I wonder how that team talk went at half Coach.”

Ella grinned but she was proud of her girls fighting back the way they did. The other team had been more skilled but that didn’t mean it was easy for them.   “No, I didn’t say anything.”  And she hadn’t not really, just prompted the captain of the team to go for it and say what needed to be said.  It was a team game and everyone had a part to play.  They’d given it their all in the second half and Ella was damn proud of them for it, even with the loss.

Narrowing her eyes at the younger women Erin wasn’t sure she believed her but in truth she was just happy that Ella wasn’t too upset with herself at the result. “Sounds fake but okay.”

“I can be quiet.” Ella replied.

“Sure you can, let’s ask your mom’s opinion on that… who is nowhere in sight.” Erin realised as she looked behind Ella.

“Oh, yeah, I gave her my car keys she’s going to stop by my sisters.” Ella explain.  “My niece wasn’t feeling well tonight which is why they didn’t come.”

Erin nodded along with the information. Of course that was important.  Only, how exactly were they getting back to Ella’s place?

Ella noticed the confused look on Erin’s face. “I was going to just walk home,” She explained.  “Sorry, I should have asked you if you minded first.  I can call her to come back and pick you up if you want?”

“No, no, a walk is fine.” Erin cut in quickly. “It’s um, a nice night for it.” She added hesitantly because it clearly wasn’t, not given how far they had to walk and how much the temperature had already dropped.

Ella grinned widely, more than content to believe that at face value. “Good, we can stop by somewhere for coffee on the way.”

Erin nodded as she followed beside Ella and the headed out of the park and onto the streets. It wasn’t completely dark out yet but it wasn’t far off either.

“Thanks for coming out, I think the girls appreciated hearing you,”

Erin snorted, they had all been too young to know who she was and didn’t seem to understand Canada had its own soccer team.

Ella rubbed at her nose to hide her smile. Okay, they hadn’t known who Erin was but as soon as Ella had told them Erin had an Olympic medal they stared in awe at the goalkeeper.  Those things were hard to come by but to even get to the Olympics in the first place was something Ella was impressed by.

But especially the Canadians who hadn’t had much luck in the semi-final but managing to pull it together and focus on the bronze game against a talented French side, that medal was hard won and Ella thought Erin should be damn proud of herself for it. Emily Zurrer was and she’d unfortunately picked up an injury and not played as much as Erin had.  But Ella had seen her medal, had a picture of her 307 girls wearing it and celebrating with Emily when she visited Chicago after the Games were over.

“Anyway, thank you. It meant a lot to me.  I watch kids like these and they have so much more opportunity to play this sport than you or I had at their age.”  Ella added.  Her reason for coaching wasn’t just to have a job because if it was then they sure saw her coming.  She did it because she believed sport could give kids something they might desperately need in their lives and it also opened the door for those lucky enough to go on to get a college education when their home life would have meant years of debt otherwise. 

Erin laughed. “How old are you twenty-five?”  She shook her head as they walked along the street.  She didn’t mind walking Ella home, it was nice if a bit cold.

Ella narrowed her eyes at her companion and when Erin stepped again she knocked her back heel gently with her foot causing the Canadian to trip a little and turn to glare at her. She smiled back warmly.  “Careful old lady or should we call a cab for you?  The walk too much at your age?”

“Why you little…” Erin turned on Ella and grabbed for her but Ella dodged out of the way then started jogging further ahead so Erin gave chase.  They ran and laughed up the street and around a corner before they encountered a bit of a crowd that sent them more than one curious look.

“Okay, okay, no more old lady jokes.” Ella offered as she caught her breath.  The little bit of exercise and adrenaline surge had been fun and just being around Erin made it easy to let the result of the game tonight go.  She was disappointed at losing but she had seen her players work together in that second half and that team spirit was enough to know that her girls would take something more important away from the game than a win.  They didn’t have to be the best player on the park, they simply had to work harder to do their individual and collective jobs than the other team, but even then, with that breakaway goal against them she hoped they knew that even then, even giving your all, sometimes the other team wins the match.

Erin nodded her head in agreement at the truce. “And I’ll lay off the short jokes.”

Ella paused and stared at the taller woman. “What short jokes?”

Doing her best to look innocent Erin put her hand to her chest. “Oh, have I not been saying those out loud?  My bad.  Just forget I said anything Shorty.”

“Keep it up Canada and you’ll regret it.” Ella warned now more than ever determined to get dirt on the keeper from Emily as soon as she could. She might even call her in the morning.

Giggling a little Erin bumped her shoulder into Ella as she moved out of the way of a couple walking towards them. She got a return nudge and they shared a smile as Erin willingly let Ella guide them through the streets and into downtown Chicago. 

They fell into a comfortable silence until Ella reached for Erin’s hand and gave her a tug.

“Come on, I want to show you something.” Ella said holding Erin’s hand tightly as she guided her into a building and through a large, very empty, marble lobby.

Erin’s eyes widened but she kept her mouth shut and just glanced around before spotting a security guard at the reception desk. The building looked like an office block and Erin couldn’t figure out why they were there or how much trouble Ella was about to get them into.

“Hey, Jonny, you mind if I sneak up stairs for a bit?” Ella asked with a happy look on her face as she leaned over the desk and grabbed whatever book ‘Jonny’ was reading. “I can see you’re super busy so I’ll just show myself up okay?  Thanks.” 

Jonny snatched his text book back and rolled his eyes. “You not going for a swim again right?  You’ll catch a cold.”  He told her with a grin of his own as Ella was walking away from him.

“That was one time Jonny, and I was pushed as well you know.” Ella replied quickly not happy to be constantly reminded of her little slip into the pool.

“Uh huh, if that’s your story. Just remember, I never saw you so if anything does happen you work the buddy system with your friend here.”  He said gesturing to Erin who was being dragged along to the elevators by Ella.  “Have fun.”  He called out just as the door closed on the pair and then he went back to studying for his morning class.

“Ignore him.” Ella said as the elevator starting slowing going up.

“Isn’t it his job to keep the riffraff out, and by riffraff I mean you, obviously.” Erin added with a grin even though her curiosity of why they were here and where they were going was begging her to ask.

Ella gave Erin a challenging look. “Scared?” She asked.  “If you want you can go straight beck down.” She offered.

Erin shook her head quickly. “Ella, I’m getting the distinct impression that you might need me here to keep you out of trouble.”

Laughing Ella pointed at herself. “Me?  Get into trouble?”

“Yeah, now that’s the voice of reason.” Erin answered back sarcastically adding a look to the ceiling of the elevator.

Ella didn’t bother to reply as the doors opened and she practically bounced out into the entrance and grabbed for Erin again to lead her down the passageway. “Come on.”  She was excited now not having been here in a few months.  “Come see.”

Erin silently let herself be lead and soon Ella was opening a sliding door and they were stepping out on to a large balcony. That had a swimming pool.  “So no swimming tonight Ella.” She couldn’t help but comment with a chuckle.

“Shh, just look.” Ella kept walking, not even interested in the pool.  She took Erin over to the far side of the outside space.  “Look at that.”

Erin glanced at Ella then looked out across at the view. It was getting dark but she could still make out the skyline of the city with the sun already setting.  It was impressive and as the wind blew around them she could understanding why Ella might like it up here.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Ella whispered. She could see so many places she knew like the back of her hand, the streets, the buildings, the people might be different but even the smell was the same.

Urbana might have been where she grew up but this city was home. This is where some of her most cherished dreams as a child came true.  “This is where it all started.”

Erin glanced at Ella as the younger woman stared out over the rooftops and buildings. Erin even spotted a cast iron bridge in the distance.

It was beautiful.

Ella closed her eyes and took a deep breath of cold evening air. Life was always changing but this view filled her with a sense of hope, knowing anything was imaginable.  Just as the great Chicago fire hadn’t destroyed the city, it was always possible to rise up from the ashes and be better than before.

She blinked her eyes open and blushed slightly feeling Erin watching her closely. “Come on, let’s head back in before the cold seeps in to your old lady bones.”  She joked.

Erin shook her head and shifted to stand behind Ella. She gently put her arms around Ella’s waist and pulled her back into her body.  “This okay?” She whispered softly not wanting to make the other woman uncomfortable even if they had been flirting around each other the past few days.

Ella swallowed not finding the words but she nodded her head and let her own hands drift down to rest against Erin’s.

Erin tightened her hold and sighed as she joined Ella and stared out at the city in front of them. A few months ago when she had first been making calls about showing her artwork she’d never have guessed that her decision to come her would have led to this moment.

She wasn’t completely sure what was going on between her and Ella yet but right now her heart was echoing Ella’s earlier statement.

This is where it all started.


	5. Chapter 5

Erin smiled as she stared at Ella sacked out on the sofa in the corner as she continued working on her latest painting. It had been two weeks since Ella’s mother had first invited her to use her work space and Erin had so far completed four new pieces for her next show.

It had surprised her how easy she found working here, normally she preferred her own space but the Masar household just had a vibe to it that Erin was thriving in, whether it was creative discussions with Shelly or new healthy eating when it turned out Ella liked to cook in the evenings.

Erin got to be a taste tester on more than one occasion, especially given she’d eaten dinner more in this house than she had at the place she was renting.

And then there was the yoga.

She hadn’t understood Ella’s smirk and twinkling eyes when she had first agreed to a session with Shelly but it hadn’t taken long for Erin, who regularly included yoga into her workouts, to be pushed harder than she ever had before.

Yoga might look easy but it really wasn’t. It was great for fitness and stress and had a ton of other benefits but make no mistake, it was hard work to get into position properly and then to hold it for a number of deep even breaths. Not as easy as it looked.

Ella had watched on from the kitchen as Erin had helped clear a space in the living room for them. Thirty minutes later and Erin had used muscles she hadn’t known she had. And in the end, when Erin collapsed back onto the mat Shelly had given her, the older woman had sprang up to her feet and declared that she was going for a relaxing walk, she left giving Erin the option to join her again the next morning.

Erin had just grunted even as Ella had broken into uncontrollable laughter.  

Now Erin looked over at Ella again, on her back with her arm thrown over her face covering her eyes. She couldn’t tell for sure if the younger woman was sleeping or not but she had complained that her last client was an ass. From what Erin had gathered through the sulking as Ella had arrived back that morning was that Ella had been forced to join in the training session she had set out for her client when he complained that it wasn’t going to meet his needs. So she went through each set of exercises with him, pushing him to do everything at tempo with perfect form and sure enough, by the end of the hour they were both physically exhausted and Ella was mentally done with her client.

He’d been making small comments about her programme for him in the few weeks she’d been working with him but this morning had been the final straw. She’d collected her payment from him, one of the few clients she had that requested to pay in cash after each session, that maybe should have been her first warning sign, but after she’d been paid she told him that if he wasn’t serious he could go back to his regular gym and waste his time there.

She hadn’t even waited for his reaction, just picked up her equipment bag and left him stood there.

Erin chuckled to herself being able to picture Ella glaring at her client having received that look herself a few times since knowing the other woman.

“What are you laughing at?” Came a grumble from the figure across the room.

Keeping herself painting Erin shrugged. “Nothing in particular.”

Ella stretched and cracked her neck as she sat up. “Nothing in particular?” She repeated with a shake of her head as she stood and twisted her upper body to realign her back which protested her previous position with a distinct pop.

She was proved right once more that goalkeepers, and this one for sure, were all a little on the weird side of normal. Not that it was a bad thing. She was starting to enjoy Erin’s quirks. Besides, after the morning she’d had Erin was a welcome change. And much better looking.

Erin just hummed and kept her eyes on the brush strokes she was making on the canvas in front of her as she tried to combine the feeling she had that night up on the roof overlooking Chicago as she tried to do justice to Ella’s view of the city. It was a painting that she might show in Toronto but one she had no intention of selling. She planned to gift it to Ella before they parted company.

That wasn’t something she wanted to spend time thinking about too much but the off season was nearly over. She would have to go back to Vancouver soon to spend some time with her family and take care of some of her other business ventures before she was Houston bound again. Before that she had the art show in Toronto.

As much as she loved expressing this different side of herself it left her with almost no free time. There was even talk of getting the Canadian team together for a week in early April to work on some bonding as the coach was trying to integrate some of the younger players into the squad.

And normally Erin wouldn’t mind, but she was starting to regret her decision to keep busy this off season. She hadn’t had reason not to be but now…

She glanced over the canvas she was painting and met the eyes already staring back at her.

“Got any plans for today or you going to just doss about?” She asked then hid her smirk by focusing back down at her work in progress.

“Rude much?” Ella replied although not the least bit offended. She liked that Erin gave her shit constantly. Especially as it meant she didn’t have to hold herself back when she did the same.

“I’m going to make breakfast if you’re interested.” She told the keeper before leaving the room without waiting for an answer. Not that she needed one, she was sure by the time she was ready to eat Erin wouldn’t be far behind waiting for her share to be set down in front of her.

Again Ella didn’t mind because they’d worked out a system that suited them, while she cooked Erin would got clean up duty. Personally Ella thought she had the better part of the deal, although Erin had called her out a few days ago when she’d purposely tried to use every bowl and utensil in the kitchen.

With that thought in mind Ella did her best to limit the amount of cleaning required just to be nice to her guest, friend really, she corrected. If Ella was honest with herself and she tried to be, Erin had never felt much like a guest in her home. Not even before the older woman had apologised for the misunderstanding at the gallery.

Part of that might have been because Ella had followed the goalkeepers career since the London Olympics but also because the woso community was small. So small in fact that Ella had played against Erin twice already, although she was sure the older woman had no memory of those games. They’d met once in college, a game that despite being on the losing side Ella had managed to score past the Canadian, and another during the WPS before Erin had suffered a knee injury. That game had ended in a draw.

Maybe one day Ella could bring those matches up but right now it didn’t feel right to touch on times that far past.

Besides, Ella was really enjoying getting to know the woman Erin was now without soccer being the main focus of their interactions.

“Hey Erin, you want food you better get out here!” She called out as she plated up the last of the hot food and turned off the stove, leaving the used kitchenware in the sink for Erin to clean.

“I’m sitting right here, there’s really no need to shout.” Erin said from her seat at the table.

Ella narrowed her eyes at the Canadian, wondering how long she’d been out here without her knowing.

Erin smirked as Ella came over with the food and set it down. “You know you dance when you cook? It’s very entertaining.”

Ella blushed as she sat down across from Erin. “Shut up and just eat.” She warned the other woman with a mock glare. She hadn’t known there was an audience watching her, and it’s not like she does that consciously.

“Do you like, hear music in your head or something?” Erin couldn’t help but ask teasingly, because despite the show you did have to wonder.

Ella couldn’t help but chuckle. “You mean you don’t, now I feel bad.”

Erin laughed and got a dazzling smile in return. “You keep doing you kid.” She told Ella once she had breath back. “And this is really good, not as good as a proper Canadian breakfast but that isn’t entirely your fault, what with being American and all.”

Ella sighed and shook her head. Erin just couldn’t help herself could she, it had to be an illness. And a Canadian one at that probably.

“For someone that spends most of their time in the good ‘ole US of A, I’m starting to think the lady doth protest too much.” Ella hit back.

Erin paused mid bite and narrowed her eyes at the younger woman. She could take a lot but not comments disparaging her loyalty to her home country. That was how the penalty shootout in the park a few weeks ago had started. “Careful kid, or I might forget that I like your mom.”

But Ella knew she had got under Erin’s skin and couldn’t stop herself from going in for the kill. “In fact I think I even detect a slight American twang in your voice.” But as soon as she said it she leapt out of her seat as Erin launched herself across the table at her.

Ella yelped and quickly raced back around to the kitchen island. There was no way Erin was jumping over that so she was relatively safe for the time being although Erin’s expression let her know that wasn’t going to stop her for long.

“Now Erin, think about this before you do anything rash!” Ella warned before squealing in panic as Erin made to come around after her.

“Oh, I’m thinking about it.” Erin replied with a wicked grin on her face.

Ella didn’t think that sounded good, at least not from her perspective. “Now remember that you are a guest in my mother’s home, what would she think if she could see you threatening me like this over such a simple misunderstanding.” Ella tried again.

Just before Erin could answer that another voice cut her off.

“She’d think that her home is once again being overrun by children, yet I was sure those days were over for me at my age.” Shelly said from just inside the front door where she was busy taking off her jacket.

“Hey mom.” Ella called over sweetly as she straightens up and tries her best to look innocent.

Erin however just glared at Ella.

Shelly tutted and shook her head at the two grown women in front of her. “Don’t hey mom me young lady, and both of you sit down and eat before you waste good food.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry about that I should have ignored her.” Erin said as she took her seat again.

Ella rolled her eyes. Suck up, she mouthed at Erin who had the nerve to wink back at her, perfectly aware that she was making it sound very much like she was the instigator.

Shelly however didn’t look nearly as convinced that there was any innocent party in front of her as she just shook her head.

Ella chuckled and retook her own seat and resumed eating, needing the calories after her morning with the client from hell. “You want me to fix you a breakfast plate?” She asked her mother as the older woman came to stand near the table.

“Oh, no dear, but I will join you both for a moment before I have to go back out. However why you insist on calling it that given the time I’ll never know.” Shelly replied.

Ella ignored the laugh coming from Erin and gestured to the food laid out. “It’s breakfast food, ergo breakfast. The time of the day is completely irrelevant.” She maintained.

Shelly sighed.

“Was she always this…” Erin didn’t know how to ask politely but she didn’t need to finish her sentence anyway.

“Hey!” Ella protested as her mother nodded at Erin’s question.

“Oh yes, such a pretty child with those gorgeous eyes, but don’t be fooled for a second into thinking she and her twin sister were anything but rascals the pair of them.” Shelly confessed to Erin who looked positively charmed as she looked over at a blushing Ella.

Ella pouted and stabbed at the bacon on her plate. “That was all Liza I swear.”

Erin giggled as Shelly let out a long suffering sigh.

“And Liza would blame Ella, right?” Erin guessed.

“Of course, that’s what sisters do.”

“Yeah,” Ella added, “But she lied. A lot. Untrustworthy that one.”

Erin grinned and started to finish up the food on her plate. She had two sisters herself and because she was the middle child, often found herself at the centre of the blame game as a kid. She could just imagine what Ella was like as a child.

Ella caught Erin looking at her. “What?” She asked wondering if she had spilled food on herself and self-consciously wiped at her chin.

Erin sat a little straighter as she gave Ella an impish look before turning to Shelly and asking, “You wouldn’t happen to have any old pictures of these rascal children you suffered through, do you?”

“No!”

“Why of course!” Shelly said with a touch of excitement as she ignore her daughter and got up from her seat and patted Erin on the shoulder as she passed behind her. “You just wait right here while I find them.” She instructed.

Happy with that outcome Erin swallowed down the rest of her breakfast and got up to get a head start of the cleaning so she could give Shelly her full undivided attention when she returned.

Ella watched Erin practically bouncing with anticipation as she stood in the kitchen.

“The payback I’m going to serve for this is going to be legendary.”

Erin started humming a tune unconcerned by the threat issued behind her.

“And I’m going to start with a phone call to a good friend of mine.” Ella continued. “You might know her?” She added before pausing for a moment of contemplation as she considered the likelihood of her friend and Erin being acquainted. “Yeah, yeah, I think you do.”

Curious by this turn of events, Erin quirked an eyebrow at Ella and waited.

“Emily? Emily Zurrer?”

Oh yeah, that left an impression, Ella thought as the water overflowed and Erin yelped as she got wet trying to quickly turn off the spray.

Paybacks really could be a bitch, and given how many stories her mother could tell Erin, Ella felt perfectly justified in seeking some parity. Although whatever stories Emily might offer her she was pretty sure they’d be more adventurous than getting lost at the shopping mall as a kid, or stealing her sister’s homework when she’d forgotten to do her own because she’d had soccer practise.

And given how wide Erin’s eyes were now, Ella was more than ready to make that call. She wasn’t even bother by what questions it would cause her friend to ask.

Nope.

For dirt on Erin, Ella was more than ready for a few awkward questions she was only beginning to figure out the answers too as it was.

“Don’t look so worried Erin, I’m sure it all can’t be that bad.” She offered with a wicked grin of her own, happy to have the upper hand once more over the Canadian.

Erin rolled her eyes and turned her back on Ella again and concentrated on the task at hand, later she’d figure out how to threaten Emily with torture if she embarrassed her too much to Ella.

“Okay Masar, you call Emily, but just remember that two can play this game kid.” She said in her best ominous tone.

Ella shrugged. “I’m not worried.”

“Are you really sure about that?”

“Nah, I’ve got nothing to hide Erin, the question is do you?” Ella smiled sweetly at Erin. The worst things Ella had gone through in her life were already out there in easy enough to find with a google search. What were a few fairly childish stories from her own mother compared to that?

Erin let out a soft sigh, she could already imagine what Ella would make of her younger self, particularly a certain Mohawk look she had. She’d gone through a few awkward stages as she came to terms with who she was, and she didn’t always like to look back at those times. But those moment in her past shaped the person she was today and that was someone she was proud to be.

So not matter what Ella could dig up, or whatever Shelly used to embarrass her daughter with, Erin knew it was all just in fun. So she could take whatever Ella found on her through Emily.

“Do your worst kid, I also have nothing to hide being the upstanding Canadian citizen that I am, we leave the really weird stuff to you lot.” She replied.

Ella laughed at how often Erin stuck her nationality into their conversations. “Noted.” She answered before spotting her mother returning with two large photo albums in her hands and a gleeful look on her face. She let out a sigh in preparation of what was coming.

Erin whooped as she spotted Shelly and made to go back to the table to enjoy the show and tell she was about to get on the younger years of one Ella Masar.

“Let the fun begin!” She said loudly as she slapped Ella on the back as she moved to help Shelly set the albums down.

“Ella, come sit by me so you can explain some of these.” Shelly called to her daughter.

It was a conspiracy.

Ella got up and took the proffered seat anyway. Knowing this to be just another lesson of humility she would undertake. It all served to make her a better person and more understanding person.

A person that was going to enjoy the moment she got to turn the table on the smug looking Canadian watching her right now.

“Now, where should we start?” Shelly muttered as she tried to figure out of the photos had any particular order to them or not.

“Oh, start at the beginning.” Erin offered helpfully. “That’s always the best place I think.”

Ella tried not to let out the groan she felt on recalling the naked baby pictures her mother had them pose for at a few months old. Ella honestly never thought this day would happen to her, where a parent brought out the embarrassing baby pictures to show someone else.

Ser had gone through it now that she remembered, Liz too. Tyson not so much considering he and Meg had been together for years and she knew most of the stories about him and had seen the pictures too at some point or another anyway.

But even when she’d been dating her ex, whom she’d been with on and off for nearly ten years, not once had she been put through this by either her father or her mother.

Until now.

Ella glanced across at Erin who was completely engrossed in the picture she was being shown and the details her mother was divulging. She watched Erin’s eyes light up as she laughed and took the picture carefully in her own hand to get a closer look.

Ella almost turned her gaze away when Erin’s brown eyes lifted to meet hers, instead she smiled fondly and rolled her eyes.

Erin smiled back for a moment before she was drawn back in by another story and another picture of the woman across from her.

She felt a warmth spread across her chest as she watched her mother and Erin together, huddled over her baby pictures and laughing. She briefly wondered what her father would have made of Erin and if he was looking down at them right now and laughing along with them.

And if he’d have eventually understood about her growing feelings for the other woman.

She certainly hoped so.

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Ella sprinted the length of the indoor hall, tapped the back wall then turned and sprinted back towards the opposite wall. She did this until beads of sweat were running down her back and falling into her eyes. When her legs threatened to give out she dropped down into a series of push ups until her arms shook. With one the final down movement she collapsed and rolled over onto her back going straight into a set of crunches and revers crunches until her entire body ached and she couldn’t do any more.

Only then did she stop all motion and listen to the music playing in her ears as her heart rate and breathing began to regulate back into their normal rhythm.

She lost track of time as she laid there thinking and listening to her set list play. Every song was carefully chosen to motivate her to exhaustion each and every time she played it. It was never so much the songs but the memories that went along with them. The hurt of not being good enough in someone else’s eyes, being told she wasn’t fast enough, strong enough, skilled enough.

She’d heard those things from the time she was a child until she’d ended her playing career.

Ella understood what it took to use words like that to provoke her clients to put in the extra work needed to achieve the goals they had set out with her. But in her years of being a fitness instructor she’d seen her fair share of quitters too. People that bought the fancy clothes and equipment and brought her into their homes for private training sessions only to never put in the effort or sheer hard work it took to get from where they were to where they claimed they wanted to be.

She still accepted their money though, she did have her share of bills to pay. But that was a good part of the reason she loved working with her kids so much. Because they were still young enough to make their dreams reality. And even if none of her kids made it as professionals she knew that they still learned valuable lifelong lessons about teamwork, perseverance, commitment and the ability to trust that they themselves were capable of success but that they were also taught to trust that the effort they put in, no matter the outcome, would be rewarded.

She wished she’d had someone to tell her that things would be alright even when her home life was falling apart. She had struggled hard for everything she had achieved and soccer had been her lifeline, even if her story hadn’t ended with the dream she’d had as a child, it had allowed her to travel the world, meet some amazing people that she got to call family now, but most of all it had given her a sense of purpose.

But it wouldn’t be so simple from today Ella knew. She’d handed her last client over to her brother-in-law Rob at his gym this morning and she was officially clientless. Which also meant she had no income for the foreseeable future.

It worried her a little. Not so much the uncertainty that was surrounding her life right now but that there wasn’t a clear plan. If she was honest with herself she knew part of the reason she was still at the gym was because she was trying to burn out the nervous energy she had thinking about what was to come. She was excited.

This was the first time since she was fourteen years old where she could relax and not worry about her future. She had savings in the bank and a career she could pick back up when she needed to.

But until that time it was just going to be her and Erin McLeod.

The same Erin McLeod that had asked her to come with her to Vancouver in a few days. The same Erin McLeod that was taking up most of her thoughts.

Ella felt herself grin and couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. Here she was burning off all her excess energy and driving herself to exhaustion when what she really wanted to be doing was be at home where she knew Erin was probably busy working on her last few pieces for the Toronto art show.

But Ella wasn’t one to give in to temptation like that, and she knew Erin had limited time left to finish her work before sending it off. So it was either annoy her friends or family all day or work out at the gym.

Her family would ask her too many questions so for now it was the gym. The only one that knew she was going to Vancouver was her mom. They all knew about her mother’s artwork being shown in Toronto and that Ella was going up for the opening but not so much the rest of it.

Oh, Ella was sure Ty suspected that there was something going on, she had seen his looks and the way Meg, his wife, would grin at her, but no one had asked her directly and she wasn’t yet willing to share.

Or at least she hadn’t been.

Rob had asked a few questions that she’d been vague in her answers about but luckily he was always happy to have new clients so hadn’t dug much deeper with her.

Seredy would ask more questions if she got her alone, luckily with three kids to chase around Ella didn’t to have to deal with her big sister prying into her personal life just yet. It would come and Ella had no doubt it would be soon considering they were meant to have a family get together at her older sister’s house tomorrow but Ella was happy to have avoided it up to now.

Giggling to herself Ella imagined her sister seeing Erin for the first time tomorrow and wondering why there was a strange Canadian in her home. Of course that thought just reminded Ella that she hadn’t told Erin they were going to her sister’s tomorrow. She should probably ask Erin about that soon. Or just turn up with her, she still hadn’t decided. And she did owe the Canadian a little payback for her mother dragging out her baby photos.

Ella pulled herself up into a seated position and wrapped her arms around her raised knees thinking.

She and Erin weren’t a couple. They weren’t dating. They had kissed though, and there was definitely something there between them, something tangible and real that lit a fire in Ella’s insides whenever the older woman looked at her.

But they hadn’t talked about what it was or what it meant.

Ella knew Erin was being extremely patient with her and not trying to push her and for that alone she admired the other woman.

Ella wasn’t knew to having feelings for another female, she’d had those thoughts since she was a college freshman but she’d had a boyfriend at the time and a faith that told her it was wrong to think those thoughts. So she’d never gone down this path before.

She’d told Erin that, during the evening’s and late nights where Erin was working on her paintings and Ella was laying out on the couch listening to music or watching films on her ipad just to be in the same space together. Often they’d talked about their pasts or religion and the state of American politics or what was going on in the news that day.

On some of those nights with Erin Ella found herself talking about things she hadn’t even told her family. Like fearing for her nephew growing up as a black man in a city where violence against black men was so prevalent, and the genuine fear she knew her sister had as a mother.

Erin had been quiet after that conversation before sharing an experience of her own as a gay woman and how that label could have consequences, from how her father had warned her not to tell relatives when she had first come out to the coaches who treated her so badly she almost gave up on her dream as a soccer player.

Erin had then talked about how different life had been back then to how it was now, and that hopefully by the time her nephew was a young man the world will have changed again. For the better.

Progress was slow and sometimes painful. That was what Ella told her clients often enough when they thought it wasn’t worth it, when they couldn’t see the change in themselves.

Change be that physical, mental or metaphorical was a process, a journey if you will.

And Ella was touching on a new journey in her life right now, and it was exciting to her.

“Are you going to sit there all night, or are you going to get out of my gym?” A voice boomed into the silent hall from the door across from Ella’s spot on the floor.

Ella pulled her earbuds free and grinned at the face scowling back at her. “I was just about to do my last set Harold, then I’ll let you lock up in peace.” She promised.

Harold snorted and shook his head. “My wife will kick my ass if I don’t get home soon so no, you get the choice of showering and getting the hell out or I will lock you up in here and see you first thing in the morning if that last set is so important to you.” He fired back with a determined look in his eyes.

Ella frowned and looked at her watch. “Holy shh!” She’d had no idea that it was almost midnight.

Harold huffed as he watched Ella spring up and gather her towel and water bottle from the corner of the room and sheepishly walk past him out of the hall. “Hmm.”

“Sorry Harry. Five minutes I promise.” And with that Ella hurried to the changing room for a quick shower and to change out of her gym clothes.

xxxxxx

Ella opened the front door half expecting her mother to be standing there ready to ask her where she’s been all night but in reality she entered a dark and silent house. It was quiet and still as she locked the door and dumped her gym bag at the bottom of the staircase.

She walked into the kitchen after taking her jacket off, there was a container of left overs with her name on the top sitting on a shelf but Ella wasn’t hungry. She took a bottle of water instead and sat down at the counter to drink as her eyes drifted to the entrance of the den.

It was too quiet for Erin to be working. Even when she had her headphones on there was always some sort of sound coming from the Canadian when she worked. And Ella was a little annoyed with herself that she had missed spending time with the other woman just because she’d lost track of time at the gym.

Which wasn’t a first for Ella and she was sure her mother would have said as much to Erin. Which would then explain why there weren’t any missed text messages from her.

Ella finished off her water then got up, she should go straight to her bed because her body needed the rest if she was going to have to survive time with her nieces but she wanted to see what her friend had been up to all day.

She needed that little moment of connection with Erin however tenuous. So she wandered over to her mother’s studio without switching on a single light in the darkened house and peaked into the space.

Her mother’s side looked well worked in as her mother put it, to Ella it just looked like a sea of chaos, but it was something that helped Shelly stay in a creative space so Ella was used to it. What she was less used to was the organised space that was Erin’s part of the room. Canvases stacked neatly, paints and materials line up in proper order and tripods and holders spaced out so Erin could go from one painting to the next and back again easily if inspiration struck.

But that was when she first started using the room, now though, Erin’s side was looking bare. The finished canvases already shipped back home. Even the few that hadn’t sold from the gallery had been sent to Erin’s home in Vancouver.

Erin was almost ready to leave and that saddened Ella a little. She’d shown the Canadian around some of her favourite spots in Chicago and she wasn’t shy in admitting that she might have also given Erin some ideas for her paintings.

Curiosity getting the better of her Ella walked over to the piece Erin was currently working on, stepping around and fingering the damp cloth that was protecting the recently applied paint on the canvas.

“What you doing?” Came a voice that startled Ella.

Wide eyed Ella looked over and only now saw the shape of Erin laying half asleep on the couch staring back at her. “Nothing.” She muttered in reply as she dropped the cloth in her hand with a slight pout.

Erin waited a moment, unconvinced by Ella’s claim, then closed her eyes again and shifted her position. “’Mere.” She said patting the space in front of her.

Ella eyed the hidden canvas for a second before sighing and making her way over to the couch. “What?” She asked.

Erin grunted and blindly reached for Ella, grabbing and holding on to a pant leg until she tugged the younger woman down beside. “Tired. Shhh.” She mumbled as she wrapped a giggling Ella into her arms.

Ella chuckled as a throw blanket was tucked around her and Erin settled behind her. “You know I have a bed upstairs?” She said softly as did her best to turn but Erin’s hold wouldn’t let her.

“You ready for that?” Erin fired back letting her hand drift suggestively but when Ella tensed she pulled away and pressed her lips to Ella’s neck in apology. “Sleep.”

Ella felt her cheeks flush. She wasn’t ready for that, they’d still just be sleeping but doing that in a bed together was on a whole other level than she was ready for right now. “Sorry.” She whispered to Erin.

There was silence from behind her and Ella screwed her eyes closed. She should be able to take Erin up to her bedroom and let them both sleep in an actual bed for the night instead of being uncomfortable trying to fit onto the couch they were on.

Erin sighed. “Were you avoiding me tonight?” She had to ask because it had been going around in her head all night even as she tried to distract herself with painting. Every hour that passed without Ella returning felt personal because the younger woman had said she was leaving to clear her head and as far as Erin could tell she was the cause of all the confusion in Ella’s life right now.

“No!” Ella replied quickly then forced herself around so she could look at Erin. “No,” She repeated, “I just lost track of time, honestly Erin if the owner hadn’t wanted to leave I’d probably still be there.”

That didn’t really reassure Erin and it must have shown in her expression because Ella’s eyes softened and she shifted closer.

“You can say no Ella, if you’ve changed your mind.” Erin whispered as she dropped her eyes from Ella’s. The last thing she wanted was to pressure Ella into anything she didn’t want. Asking her to come up to Vancouver had been spur of the moment but it had felt right. Now? Now she wasn’t sure it was the right thing.

Ella studied Erin’s face as she felt a smile tug at her own lips. She could hardly believe this woman, here she was offering her an out, not that she wanted one, but that Erin was willing to put her own feelings aside if that was what Ella wanted, well, it was sweet but she couldn’t let the Canadian think that.

Erin almost resisted the touch to her chin but she went with the movement and met Ella’s gaze. They kept eye contact for a second before Ella was leaning in and kissing her.

Ella licked her lips as they separated before pressing another kiss to Erin’s lips. “I don’t want to say no Erin, and I haven’t changed my mind.” She said.

Erin swallowed hard. “You haven’t?”

“No.” Ella reaffirmed. “I just needed to keep busy and you were painting, working, so I went to the gym.”

“Oh.” That sounded like what Shelly had tried to tell her but then Erin wasn’t sure and she was afraid she was pushing Ella into something she wasn’t ready for. “You could have stayed.” She would have enjoyed spending the afternoon together even if it meant she hadn’t got much work done, she hadn’t anyway because her mind kept drifting to where Ella was and when she’d be back.

Ella giggled and closed the distance to steal another kiss, this time drawing it out and deepening it when Erin gasped. She only let up when Erin shifted into her and she remembered they were laying on very limited space and had no wish to fall to the floor anytime soon. “Couch.” She warned as she pulled back.

Erin tightened her hold on Ella before smiling. “You would have been fine, being that your centre of gravity is lower, and I would have landed on you,” She tickled Ella’s stomach quickly causing the muscles to twitch. “You’re right, that woulda hurt.”

Ella narrowed her eyes. “You know, maybe I should go to my bed, it’s been a long day.” She threatened but Erin pulled her closer and buried her face into her neck.

“No, can’t go. Won’t let you.”

“But I think this is a one person couch.”

Erin grinned into Ella’s neck. “But you’re so small-ouch!“ Ella had pinched her. “Okay, okay.” She said with a laugh.

Ella waited for Erin to calm down again before she spoke. Her hand reaching out to caress Erin’s cheek. “I’m not having second thoughts, okay? You believe me?” She asked, looking Erin in the eyes.

Erin nodded finally convinced she’d blown Ella’s disappearance today out of all proportion. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Ella pressed a final kiss to Erin’s lips before scooting back around into her previous position. “Now, can we sleep because tired.”

Erin gathered the smaller woman back into her arms again and pressed her face into Ella’s neck.

They stayed like that for a long few moments before Erin felt the need to speak up again.

“Just a warning, my apartment only has the one bedroom, but if you like couches so much…” She teased.

Ella tried not to laugh because she had Erin beat all day long on this one, but she let the older woman think she had her before whispering quietly. “It’s okay, Em said I could stay with her if I wanted to.”

Erin’s eyes widened to their fullest at that. “Oh.” She replied, stunned that she’d failed to even consider that taking Ella home with her would put her into such close proximity to their mutual friend. The same friend that Ella could get so much gossip from.

Erin was in so much trouble.

“Having any second thoughts of your own there Canada?” Ella prodded with a grin on her face.

“No, but you’ve just made my mind up, you definitely get the couch, I’m not going to even offer my bed.” Erin replied with a sniff of indignation.

“Fine by me.” Ella replied. “Oh, and by the way we’re going to my sister’s tomorrow for lunch.”

Erin stilled at this.

“I hope that’s okay? I mean everyone will be there, Ty and Meg, Liz and Erick and you’ll get to meet Ser and the kids-”

“Ella?”

“And you’ve already met with Ty and Megan so?”

“Ella?!”

“What?”

“Stop talking. I’m sleeping. Can’t hear a thing.”

“But don’t you want to know who else will be there?”

“No.”

“You sure?” Ella asked just to be mean then felt Erin’s hands on her start to push her off the couch. “Don’t you dare!” She warned as she grabbed a tight hold of the other woman’s clothing because if Ella was going over so was Erin.

“Then. Stop. Talking.”

“Fine.” Ella replied and the pressure stopped and Erin went back to holding her. “You’ll just have to meet everyone when we get there. And I’m not helping with names now.” She said with a pout.

Erin huffed into Ella’s neck. “You’re mean.”

“Night Erin, sleep well.” Ella answered with a giggle. She couldn’t stop herself from messing with Erin, the older woman was just so easy to tease.

She was still nervous about introducing Erin to the rest of her family tomorrow but it was a good feeling too, one she hadn’t even felt with her ex-boyfriend when she had brought him over to meet her siblings.

Maybe it was because she was older now, or maybe because it was different with Erin. It felt different to her. A relationship with a woman wasn’t something Ella ever imagined for herself much less a Canadian but here she was, going to sleep wrapped up in the arms of Erin McLeod.

But Ella had never been the kind of person to do what was expected of her, if that had been true she never would have even embarked on a career as a soccer player much less got the chance to play in the champions league as part of the woman’s PSG side.

What she felt for Erin was worth pushing herself out of her comfort zone and that included showing her off to the rest of her family, even if Erin wasn’t going to feel like that was the case. Ella knew Tyson, Megan or her mother had probably already mentioned Erin to Liza and Seredy but tomorrow Ella would be officially bringing someone to a family get together.

Now she just had to figure out if she was taking Erin along as a ‘friend’ or not.

She scowled, not liking how it made her feel to imagine doing that. Erin wasn’t a friend, well not just a friend.

“Erin?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we dating? Or girlfriends, or shou-“

Erin kept her hand over Ella’s mouth as she put her lips to her ear. “Go. To. Sleep Ella.”

Ella rolled her eyes and mumbled out an okay behind the hand gently trapping her voice.

“Fine,” Ella said quickly once she was released. “But you have about twelve hours to figure it out and let me know before you meet my sisters. They’ll ask.”

Erin whimpered and turned away from Ella and buried her face into the back of the couch with a groan.

Ella smirked and cuddled up to the back of the keeper. “It won’t be all bad, or maybe it will, we’ll find out tomorrow.”

Erin put her hands over her ears and started humming, she couldn’t take anymore tonight.

“Night babe.” Ella said softly then closed her eyes, Erin’s lilting voice soothing her to sleep.

Erin kept the tune going long after she felt Ella’s body grow heavy against her. She knew Ella was trouble the first time she’d seen her, especially considering she’d figured Ella and Tyson were a couple at the time not just brother and sister. Her heart and eyes had just seemed drawn to the younger woman, it was unexplainable. It just was.

So yeah, maybe meeting the rest of the Masar clan might seem a bit intimidating to her right now, but for Ella she’d put herself through that.

For Ella she’d probably put herself through a lot worse.

And anyway, something she’d failed to mention to Ella about the trip to Vancouver was that her parents and older sister might be arriving for a visit at the same time she and Ella would be there.

Turnabout was fair play, right?

Erin sure thought so.


End file.
